Color diffusion transfer photographic elements which provide a transferred dye image in a mordant layer are known by, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,415,644, 3,415,645, 3,415,646, 3,647,487, 3,635,707, 3,993,486, 3,594,164, 3,594,165, 3,689,262, 3,730,718, 3,658,524, 2,759,825, 3,370,950 and 3,291,610, British Pat. No. 1,330,524, and Canadian Pat. No. 674,082. However, known color diffusion transfer photographic elements tend to form stains (mostly yellow in color) with the lapse of time in white areas of print formed. There has, therefore, been a strong desire for a means for preventing the white areas of print images from being stained when stored for a long time.
There is also a tendency for processing compositions for color diffusion transfer photographic elements to deteriorate with the lapse of time even when contained in an oxygen-shielding container made of a polymer-coated lead foil.
Accordingly, it has also been desired to develop a technique for providing an image whereby the quality of the background portion of the print image does not deteriorate when the print is stored for a long period of time.